Thread by @sweetbtstea

Don't Fear The Rabbit Hole: Theories On Why Some People Are *SO* Afraid To Fall In Love With BTS

[By Thread Poll]

While I don't have much of anything to do with K-pop these days, there was a time I listened to a lot of it. And so it wasn't strange for me to know of BTS, listen to their music, or like them.

But that's not true for a lot of people.

Some people have an outright bias against anything remotely associated with K-pop or even pop in general.

There are also those who don't understand why someone would listen to a song recorded largely in a language that they themselves don't speak fluently.

However, this thread isn't simply about biases...it's about FEAR. There are people who could enjoy BTS and their music very much. Unfortunately, they hold themselves back from sliding down the rabbit hole because of feelings related to some sort of fear or worry.

Why in the world would people purposely abstain from liking something that would, when given the chance, make them happy? I imagine the reasons are very complex and vary according to the individual's situation.

That said, I have some theories.

THEORY #1 - Reaction To ARMY's "Intensity"

It's no secret that ARMYs are in this Bangtan sh!t for life. And that we're serious about our goals and promo efforts. We're also aggressively enthusiastic much of the time, even when being nice.

But the truth is I don't think it's as much ARMYs ourselves that cause fear as it is this apparent worry that whatever's gotten into us will get into them. 🤣

I think there's a fear of becoming overpowered by whatever intense emotion or desire is found in ARMYs.

While ARMYs can be intense, I think if you ask yourself why we go so hard for BTS and this fandom and seek to find the answer...you'll end up tumbling down the rabbit hole eventually. Only to ask yourself WTF you were so worried about?

THEORY #2 - SLANDER

Time and time again, people express surprise at just how nice ARMYs are much of the time. Not just because it's practically unheard of for fandoms to live their lives saying "please" and "thank you," but because of rumors about our nature as a fandom.

Not surprising to those of us who've been ARMYs for awhile, some fandoms spend a lot of time trying to convince anyone who'll listen how arrogant, selfish, toxic, and mean ARMYs are.

Sadly, some people are prone to believe the worst before they ever talk to any of us.

The good news is that a bad reputation doesn't stick for good when you spend a lot of time as a fandom participating in the opposite of the behaviors that you're accused of!

THEORY #3 - FOJI

You've probably heard of FOMO or the "Fear of Missing Out." What you might not be as familiar with is its opposite, FOJI or the "Fear of Joining In."

While some people might feel a level of anxiety over missing out on the next big thing, there are others who feel just as anxious about being pressured into getting into a new music group and the expectations that come with it.

THEORY #4 - VARIOUS SOCIAL PRESSURES

Peer pressure doesn't end when you graduate from school and move into the adult world. At various stages of your life, you will encounter various social pressures that attempt to define or control you if you allow them to.

Because the media in many countries continues to lazily assert that BTS is a typical boy group aimed at pre-teens, you will be told (by non-ARMYs much of the time), that you're too old for BTS, or you can't like BTS unless you're a girl.

If you aren't usually a pop fan (quite a few ARMYs are also fans of heavy metal and hip hop), you might get flack from members of other music communities who assume that there's no way BTS can have anything important to say or they're simply too attractive to take seriously.

While some people do eventually break away from such social pressures (or reject them outright), others never break free of the expectations and opinions of those around them, especially those whose opinions are held in high regard.

CONCLUSION - DON'T FEAR THE RABBIT HOLE. FEAR THE REGRET!

It's one thing to wait until hype surrounding a movie or song dies down so you can enjoy it in your own time. It's another thing to miss out on the kinds of artists who don't come around very often. Especially those of a ground-breaking and historical nature.

Think about the iconic end of year performances, their live streams on V LIVE, the tearful award speeches, the hilarious interview moments. Getting hyped for a new song, or getting to spend time with other ARMYs.

There's many precious moments that we experience in real-time.

There's not going to be a way to truly recapture all those missed moments. I really feel for people who are holding back out of fear.

I just hope they get over it at some point because it's SO worth it!

/THREAD

Thanks for reading my thread!

Quick Poll Question:

Did you initially resist getting into BTS out of fear. If so, why?